On July 9, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer joined community leaders and local residents in Woodside to announce that The Doe Fund would be coming to the community as part of a larger project to keep the area clean.

Van Bramer allocated funding for the special initiative, which includes a community clean-up, the implementation of pigeon mitigations systems along Roosevelt Avenue, and additional street cleaning services, which were introduced last December.

“I vote for him because he is the best, he keeps the street very clean. The area is clean and we are happy about that.” Said local resident Ana Maria Garcia

The Doe Fund has begun working in the area setting up a maintenance team, cleaning streets along Roosevelt Avenue from 51st to 61st streets, 61st street from Roosevelt to 39th Avenue, and Woodside Avenue from 58th to 60th streets, including plazas and the surrounding areas.

“The Doe Fund is here and already at work,” said Van Bramer. “We will have a dedicated team that will clean three times a week in addition to regular sanitation.”

The Doe Fund is a program that employs people who are homeless, have a criminal record and who struggle with addiction. The program provides housing and work training programs. When the program started back in 1990, many of the participants outperformed expectations.

“We are delighted to be here working in partnership with council member Van Bramer to make the neighborhood greener and cleaner,” said Joanna West, director of Business Development and Work Ventures for The Doe Fund. “This is a holistic functional program that helps people be contributing members of society.”